OOTDs - Thanksgiving Road Trip!

This year for Thanksgiving we're hitting the road to visit my husband's family (and yes, 'lil Edmund is coming too!)

For some reason I thought Atlanta would be warm (probably because everyone I know refers to it as "Hot-lanta" for reasons I cannot understand), but according to the Weather Channel Georgia's temperatures are going to be very similar to Ohio for the next week (60's during the day, 30's in the evening). So that makes packing a bit more of a challenge. Harder still, because we're taking along Edmund Fitzgerald, who will need to be walked and played with at fairly regular intervals throughout the day (difficult in heels - trust me - I've tried). Add to that the majority of the time there will be spent sitting around my sister-in-law's house, with the occasional possibility for venturing out into the world and panning for gold (seriously?) with the niece and nephew or out to a "nice" (oh let's be honest, "family-friendly") dinner. All said and done you've got what promises to be a very unruly suitcase.

Here's what I'm taking. Or what I currently *think* I'm taking -- the suitcase has yet to officially be packed.

Vacation: Thanksgiving in Atlanta by ratsonparade featuring J Crew

I did the best I could here - I've heard before that when you travel you should pick a simple color palette and stick to it so you have more options with less clothes. Unfortunately the more I look at it there really isn't much cross-over -- I've still packed a completely separate outfit for each day of the week! And maybe I could've found a better "I'm driving for 10 hours with a dog on my lap" option, but the Jaspé Sweatshirt and Hoodie are really the most comfortable things I could think of, and they don't particularly show dog hair.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

OOTD: OSU v. Michigan/Housewarming Party

Traditionally, I am not a football fan. I would say 9 times out of 10 I go shopping on game day (because the malls and highways are empty!), and my only motivation for actually attending a game in person is to get the nachos. For those not familiar with the absolutely nutso crazed OSU fanbase, if you live in Ohio you ARE a Buckeye, no questions asked (and no excuses accepted -- though I still maintain that I couldn't care less and I would rather be poked with a sharp pointy stick than be forced to sit through an entire game on TV). But today I was actually excited for "The Big Game." Not because of the football, mind you, but because we were hosting our very first party at the new house.

Here's what I wore (no Polyvore today....I never could find the Boyfriend Tissue V-Neck Tee in Red, but if there's any question, that's what it is):

J.Crew Jaspé Zip-Front Hoodie

J.Crew Tissue Boyfriend V-Neck Tee
Converse James Purcell Distressed Sneakers for J.Crew
GAP Sailor Jeans

I truly enjoy hosting parties -- especially the part where the host gets to make the food. I'm not really sure why because I've never been a particularly good cook. Mind you -- I do alright, but I've still(!) never used a food processor and I'm incredibly intimidated by my KitchenAid Mixer. And let us not forget -- I did almost catch the kitchen on fire just a few months ago. But when it comes to parties I seem to have found something I can do rather well -- making appetizers (and simple appetizer-like desserts). Most of which do not require any reducing or deglazing.

One of my favorites (which disappeared as soon as they hit the table) were the "Perfect Brownies." The original recipe can be found at "How to Cook Like Your Grandmother." I haven't tried these with anything *but* Ghirardelli chocolate, but I'm going to take Drew Kime's word for it and say if you choose to use another brand then you'll have to change the name. Maybe you could call them "These Would Be Perfect But I'm Too Cheap To Get The Good Stuff So They're Just Sort of Okay Brownies." Not as appetizing, is it?



Perfect Brownies

1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder
3 eggs
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, eggs and melted butter and mix. Do this by hand, until the dry ingredients are just incorporated into the wet, and stop. You don't need to beat it -- you'll want to avoid over-mixing or the brownies will be too chewy.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment.

Pour the batter and spread it out.

Bake at 325° for 20-30 minutes. It's done when a toothpick inserted in the tallest part comes out clean.

Carefully lift the parchment out of the baking dish. Peel the edges and let cool for a few minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!

OOTD: Tuesday Trench + Kate Spade

My gosh, what a day. I have a Google Alert set to um, "alert" me every time a news article pops up about the company I work for. Today would've been a good day to turn that alert off. Did I really get 57 alerts today? 57!? Just today?! Lordy lordy.

Anyway.....we got to go to the insurance agent this morning. Wooboy! It would be nice if all this information was easily accessible online so that we could make our own decisions instead of getting the upsale around every corner. That sure would be nice!

"For just $1 a day you can have the piece of mind that, should you inadvertently burn down your house, the insurance (assuming all of your claims aren't denied) will prevent you from going bankrupt when your landlord sues you for burning the aforementioned house down. For just $1 a day! It's your piece of mind! Isn't that worth a dollar a day? It's just a dollar!"

"Just".....bah......at least our insurance policies are up to date now. That's what's important, yes?

So, back to today....as a friend of mine aptly put it, "it's as if Friday the 13th decided it didn't get me the first time and reincarnated itself as Thursday the 19th." Oh my, so true! Maybe I should've picked an outfit I didn't like for today, seein's how it wasn't a day I particularly would like to remember. But I'm making it sound worse than it really is...I got a new project at work (good!), picked up the new Christmas CDs I had on reserve at the library (more good!), and we went to the grocery store to stock up for this weekend's big game and I came home with a food processor! A FOOD PROCESSOR! Necessary to make the Jalapeño Popper Dip and the Pepperoni Dip that I plan to make on Saturday (I've never made either before, due to my prior food processing inabilities). I don't know how we've made it this far without one. But you could say that about a lot of things, I imagine. Like a leaf blower. Or a paper towel holder. Don't know what you don't have until you, um, have one? Is that how it goes?

Today's outfit was basically centered around one thing -- the handbag. I got this Kate Spade brown & red patterned bag sometime last spring (summer?) NWT from eBay -- thinking I could pair it with one of the many chocolate brown sweaters I have. Then I realized I really don't really have many sweaters in that color. (I obviously need more. HA!) Here's the Polyvore (sans handbag photo):

Wearing Today 11.19.09 by ratsonparade featuring J Crew

IRL:
Didn't I say yesterday that tomorrow is a new day? Sheesh. I'll try again.....tomorrow is a bright shiny new day. The last day before a week of much-needed vacation. HOO-RAY!

OOTD: Jackie Cardigan

I was having the hardest time trying to figure out what to wear this morning, and I decided it was finally time to take the Jackie (item #85613, in Antique Stone - a color which I LOVE) out of the closet. I've had it hanging side by side with the Slub cotton shirred ruffles tank (item #17329) ever since it arrived last September, but it seemed I could just never find the right occasion to wear it. That, and I loathe the Slub cotton shirred ruffles tank. I hate it with every fiber of my being, and it single-handedly represents all the reasons why I swear never to buy during Final Sale. Ever. Again.

The saddest part about all of this is that I also have the Slub cotton shirred ruffles tank in Shadow -- also never worn, also bought during Final Sale. I know, I know....what was I thinking! It looked super cute in so many photos of so many other JCAs. But this tank and I just do not see eye to eye. When I put it on this morning, my husband even remarked that overall the outfit looked "nice" - but something just seemed off. It sure did. Darn you, Slub cotton shirred ruffles tank. You ruin everything.

Wearing Today 11.18.09 by ratsonparade featuring J Crew

Items in this set:
Jackie Cardigan in Antique Stone (item #85613)
Slub cotton shirred ruffles tank (item #17329)
Juliet patent-leather midheels in Blanched Almond, (item #96716)
High-Heel Flare Jeans (item #96949)

Thankful that tomorrow is a new day. A ruffled-tank-free new day.

OOTD: Navy Schoolboy Blazer

I went back to the mall today. Yes, since you asked, I was just there Tuesday. But I had to go back. Had to! As I was leaving the other day I noticed some new (in-store only, I believe?) bracelets out of the corner of my eye. I was already on my way out the door, so I figured I'd just have to come back another time. Of course, my fears of "oh no, they'll be sold out! They'll be gone!" took over, and -- and since today was fairly slow and I actually had time during lunch -- I decided I'd make another jaunt over to the mall, just for kicks. (The fact that I had more returns had nothing to do with my decision. Okay, that was totally my reason for going, but let's not get distracted from the pretty bracelets.)

The bracelets came in a range of colors -- two different metallics, a snowy white and a clear amber. It was the amber I was most excited about -- it matches perfectly with the dangling beads necklace I bought back in May (or was it April?) The necklace was also an in-store only piece -- I had to get them to take off a mannequin at the time since it was the only one they had. The item number for the amber-colored bracelet is #099101969959, retail $29.50.

Lookit! They match!

Here's what I was wearing today (I've since changed to play with 'lil Edmund):

Wearing Today 11.13.2009 by ratsonparade featuring J Crew

Items in this set:
Wool Schoolboy Blazer in Navy, (item #17072)
Juliet patent-leather midheels in Blanched Almond, (item #96716)
Perfect-Fit Tank, (item #92098)
Perfect Shirt in Light Blue (in-store only) (item #17410)
High-Heel Flare Jeans (item #96949)

IRL:

OOTD: Paisley Perfect Shirt. And Mustard.

Today was back to business as usual (thank goodness!)

I had a lunchtime appointment, and I was back to feeling colorful today -- I really wanted to wear one of those Warm Mustard sweaters I'd been hoarding. I've had the Paisley Perfect Shirt since it was a B&M-only item sometime last summer. I believe I wore it to a baseball game in August I think(?) and it was really too hot to be wearing long sleeves. So all I really remember about the Paisley Perfect Shirt is that I was sweating a lot while wearing it. And I think I got confectioner's sugar on it too....darn those funnel cake fries.

Anyway.... I wasn't sure about this combination, but it turned out super-cute! I made the last minute decision to wear my Tenley High-Heel Midboots in Vachetta (again, I know) -- what color are you supposed to wear with a gray, purple and mustard pattern? It seemed to work okay, and my handbag also matched the boots so I figured if that's the best I can come up with - it works. (*Yup that's me - Miss Matchy Matchy. Hey, at least I wasn't wearing a matching belt. I would've if I had one, but that's beside the point.*)

Wearing Today 11.11.09 by ratsonparade featuring J Crew

IRL (Goodness sakes what is going on with my camera? I seem to have gotten better at the focusing...but now the colors! That *is* a yellow-colored cardigan. I swear.)


Oh, and I'd already made up a Polyvore with the soon-to-be-arriving Anton Sweater -- if only i could've held out another day. Inspired by Tres Tippy in this post. She always has the cutest outfits!

Paisley Perfect Shirt + Anton Sweater by ratsonparade featuring J Crew

OOTD: BR Monogram Wool Trenchcoat - Black

If Monday was Mohair Day, Tuesday was... Layoff Day. Or as it's known in our world, "Just Another Tuesday At The Office." This is one of those times I'm really glad I don't have to go into an actual office, even though I'd love to be there to support my co-workers as they pack up to leave - it's just so painful to watch and I never know what to say.

In honor (or despite?) of Layoff Day, I decided to wear all black. Just wasn't feeling particularly colorful, for obvious reasons. And during the lunch hour, I also took myself shopping. What else can you do in these situations? I'd read on a few of the JCA blogs that the Sherpa Puffer Vest (item #17950, regularly $118.00 marked down to $69.99) may or may not be on sale in the B&M, so I was on the hunt. I'd already ordered (and received) the vest in dark slate, but SO many of the Polyvores I'd been seeing here, here and here all featured the vest in Chocolate. When I first entered the store I went straight to the vests on display, but they were all full price and not in the shade I wanted. I'd almost given up when I walked to the other side of the store to look at the sale items (not visible from the regular women's section) and there it was - the Chocolate Sherpa Puffer Vest - on sale and in my size! (YAY!) Another fun surprise when I went to check out, the SA asked if I wanted to keep my shoebox (I was returning the Tretorns I ordered because I just didn't think I'd ever wear them). Well of COURSE I'd like to keep the box! Just that morning my husband was asking me for a shoebox - why I have no idea - but he really really wanted one. I tell ya, that SA made my day. A sale Puffer Vest AND a box toboot! In all honesty, it wouldn't take much to brighten my day, considering - but still - I was super excited (yes, about a shoebox.) I stopped off at Starbucks on the way to the car and got my first Gingerbread Latte of the season, and with that my retail therapy was complete.

What I wore: I couldn't put together a Polyvore set for this since I can never seem to find the Serengeti Juliet Midheels in my Polyvore "closet" -- and I definitely couldn't find the trenchcoat. I was a little hesitant about purchasing this when I did - even with the 40% off code I "borrowed" from my friend Pixelant (thanks Alisa!) it was still more expensive than I usually spend on my coats. But shortly after I placed my order, it vanished from the site. And I've gotten so many compliments on this coat -- makes me think back to a time when Banana Republic was my "go-to" store -- they had it all: fit, quality and style. (Oh, erm, that was like all of one year ago.) Ah, thems were the days.

BR Monogram Wool Trenchcoat - Black

IRL:

OOTD: Mohair Retro-Stripe Cardigan

Monday is (was) Mohair Day!

The minute I saw this cardigan in the last rollout I knew I HAD. TO. HAVE. IT.

Mohair retro-stripe cardigan (item #18661)

It's the most ridiculously adorable cardigan ever -- so adorable I can't believe it's not already sold out! Well okay, I actually can believe it - mohair doesn't seem to have many fans. It's ridiculously itchy. But I LOVE this cardigan. I love it so much I would marry it, if it were possible to wed itchy yarn.

So what's the occasion for today's momentous showering/dressing/leaving the house? I had to go to the doctor. (Woohoo.) No worries, just a routine yearly annual exam. I even got there 10 whole minutes early. You heard that right - EARLY! And I'm never early. The thought was, I get there early and I'll wait less. (Didn't they do a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode on this same theory? Or maybe it was Seinfeld...) Anyway, I don't know how I could be so naive. Because, you see, when you get there you sign in with the reception area and they check you in, then send you off to a waiting area with (or without) your particular doctor's name on the door. Except this time they sent me to the wrong waiting area, and the wrong door. I sat there for 45 minutes before someone finally came out and told me I was in the wrong place. See, I should've just gotten there late, and it all would've equaled out in the end. Had it not been for that unfortunate mix-up, I would've been in and out in ten minutes, fifteen tops. While those annual exams might not be the most pleasant thing in the world, my doctor makes 'em quick! And now I don't have to go back for a whole 'nuther year. YAY!

Here's the Polyvore:

Mohair retro-stripe cardigan by ratsonparade featuring J Crew

Items in this set:
Mohair Retro-Stripe Cardigan (item #18661)
Tissue Boyfriend V-Neck Tee (item #11657)
High-Heel Flare Jeans (item #96949)
Juliet Patent Leather Midheels (item #96716)
Owen Hobo Bag (item #95601)

I think this look could've done with some sneakers, but all my short pants are in the wash. "Short pants".....that just sounds silly.

IRL: